Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 18 OC TOBER 2018 TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA I T B A S I A S H O W D A I L I E S 25 ////// On the Show Floor By Audrey Ng Richard Dagun, managing director, D&T Myanmar Travels We have been facing a decline in European arrivals, so we're focusing more on Asia. In the last 10 years, our main business has been based on inbound customers mainly coming from Germany, Switzerland and France, but now is the time to look into new source markets. From the market perspective, Asia is coming up. We've recently had a group of 200 MBA students to Thailand and Vietnam. We are looking to attract customers from Singapore and Hong Kong, with a focus on incentive groups. Technology and the personal guest experience should not be thought of as mutually exclusive, said Ben George, senior VP and commercial director, APAC, Hilton. "We see technology as something that augments but does not replace the guest experience; it enables us to offer more personalised services efficiently upon your request," he said. During his talk, Innovation in hospitality - Transforming the guest experience and cultivating brand loyalty yesterday, he spoke about some of the innovations used at Hilton. Digital Check-In is the industry's first and only opportunity for guests to GETTING SMART DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION HAS TO BE SEAMLESS, SAYS SABRE BY ESTHER FAITH LEW D igital transformation in the hospitality space is creating a paradigm shift in mindsets and dialogues. Navigating Digital Transformation in Hospitality is a key challenge, and presenting at Travel & Tech Hub on this topic was Ben Castro, head of operations, Sabre Hospitality APAC, who shared with attendees on how hotel groups need to have an aligned transformation strategy to create a seamless connected experience for guests. Smart technology that enhances guest experience and makes it a smoother stay is as important as one that emphasises butler service in setting luxury standards. Castro emphasised that hotels needed to address legacy system issues and to adopt one platform that is able to meet requirements from research, shop and book and pre-trip to post-stay. "Hotels are competing with others in the hospitality industry as well as with all experience brands, and they need to adopt technology and innovate faster and at a sustainable cost." Stressing the importance of a solid distribution strategy, Frank Trampert, managing director and chief commercial officer, Sabre Hospitality APAC said, "More than ever, hoteliers must be present on all the channels where potential customers are searching, and find innovative ways to stand out. To achieve results, hoteliers must master distribution, and master it fast – and having a partner who deeply understands that connectivity can make a world of difference." Rob Fleischer, sales and marketing director, GuestScores We're a technology company delivering customer engagement solutions to hotels. We've recently launched in Amsterdam, and we're coming here to ITB Asia as part of our global push. HISTORICAL CARAVELLE SAIGON GETS A FRESH UPDATE C aravelle Saigon has embarked on a major renovation in August that will update all its guest rooms and meetings facilities. The extensive renovations will update the 60-year-old hotel's 303 guest rooms in its Opera Wing, while its ballrooms, meeting rooms and function areas will also be refreshed in the next few months. The first of the redesigned spaces, including a rooftop venue Events on 26, will be unveiled from the first quarter of 2019 onwards. The major renovation will see rooms being overhauled "right back to the shell" to bring the historic property to "international five-star standards" with "state-of-the-art amenities and plush interiors", said Michael Robinson, general manager, Caravelle Saigon at a press session. Business will continue as usual at the hotel's restaurant and bars, but the renovation will reduce room inventory to 28 rooms. The first wave of new guest rooms is expected to be unveiled from next October onwards. The second-floor business centre lounge and meeting rooms in the Heritage Wing, which overlook the Saigon Opera House, will also receive a modern makeover. Caravelle Saigon's general manager Michael Robinson BY NAOMI NEOH select the exact room they want through interactive floor plans and Google Maps API. There is also the Digital Key, which allows guests to use their smartphones as a room key and bypass the front desk check-in. Hilton is also trialing a Connected Room to deliver a mobile-first room experience, where guests can customise all elements of their stay such as streaming television channels, controlling room temperature and lights and even ordering extra pillows. Said George, "Crucially, at the heart of these innovations is a desire to facilitate and make processes more efficient. This means that less time is spent waiting at the front desk or calling housekeeping for personal amenities, such that we have more time to interact with guests." However, this does not eliminate front-end service. "Innovation is solving customer pain points and allowing customers to make a choice. We are a business of people serving people and we don't want to stop talking to people," he said. An upcoming development is the In-App Real-Time Chat on the Hilton Honors app where its members can easily chat to front desk staff and make requests from a day before check-in and up to a week after. Ben George, senior VP and commercial director, APAC, Hilton Constant innovation is key to transforming the guest experience, according to Hilton.

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